Hopkins got his numbers by being one of the most sure-handed receivers in the NFL and honestly he was under-utilized because too many passes were forced to Dre. Brandon Marshall is about to be 31 years old, when you already have Nuk you don't need him for the system BOB wants to implement.
You're severely overrating Andre Johnson/the role of a WR, generally - no WR frees up the type of production Hopkins produced in 2014. He's already a very good WR with a tremendous upside; the idea that his game was augmented (or will in some way falter) because a 34-year old declining WR is (isn't) lined up opposite him is silly. BTW, in 2014: Hopkins: 76/1,210; 15.9; 6 TDs (16 g) Marshall: 61/721; 11.8; 8 TDs (13 g) There isn't a GM in football that would trade Hopkins for Marshall. This forum is sleeping on how good Hopkins is/can be. He's legit.
Man, I errornously thought he was 27. I will now emphatically restate: there isn't a GM in football that would trade Hopkins for Marshall.
Yeah he was overshadowed for so many years by Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson that most people forget how long he's been in the game.
Marshall was injured for most of the season last year. Dude looked like he could barley walk. And despite AJ's age defenses still rolled coverage his way. We'll see what Hopkins does this coming season when he gets that kind of attention. But I don't believe the Texans even though about trading for Marshall. Dude calls his team out too much in the media and I don't think O'Brien would go for that.
Andre still got every safeties attention when Hopkins would run his route. Hopkins was hardly ever covered by 2 people, while Andre most definitely still had that respect. And Marshall may have only played in 13 games, but he was playing on 1 leg in at least 7 of those games. The fact that he put up those numbers with his injury and with Cutler's complete inability to throw the football, is quite impressive. In any case, like I mentioned, I think highly of Hopkins...but he has never tasted what it's like to be WR1, with safeties paying attention to him as well. In that regard, he is unproven. 7 million a year for a receiver like Marshall is an absolute bargain regardless of what kind of offensive system you plan to put in place. Hopkins only has a cap hit of a couple million...you can essentially have your entire WR corp for a grand total of under 12-13 million. Unless you have Tom Brady manning your QB spot, you cant get away with Hopkins + crap + crap + crap as your WR corp.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>At this point, it appears that <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> CB Kareem Jackson will hit the free agent market. Will be among the more coveted defenders.</p>— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/574050557653966849">March 7, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
KJ is the guy along with Mallett that the team has to resign. To let a guy like KJ go that has developed in your org. to a pretty good CB who wants to stay and you let him walk? He is a player that we will regret letting go. Not AJ not Myers not Reed not JJo, hell I'd rather see Foster walk than KJ because he has so many good years to come.
I'd be very upset if Kareem walked. Unless he's wanting like 10 mil a year. Then, I wouldn't. I just feel like this group knows what they're doing. I trust them.
Unfortunately, Ive said the same thing at the start of every regime. I do trust these guys, but at some point, I should probably take a step back and question things before jumping in with arms wide open and then getting crushed again.
I was thinking the same thing as I typed it. The difference, though, I think, is that O'Brien has quickly taken total control of the team without beating around the bush.
If we let KJ walk...no reason why we shouldnt go after Suh. We have some major cap flexibility starting next season to the tune of 40-60 million under the cap depending on how the rest of the offseason plays out. Best way to mask a weak secondary is by creating a crazy front 7. Draft a CB in the first round to replace KJ. Draft a WR in the second round to bolster WR corp. Draft BPA for the rest of the draft. But, yes, I know this is the Texans and no aggressive moves will be made. We'll just go through the motions, pick up average players in FA, and then attempt to have a draft where more than two people are still on the team within 3 years.
